The General Use of PHYSICK.
I Shall desire thee, who ever thou art, that intendest the Noble (though too much a∣bused) Study of Phy∣sick, to mind heedfully these following Rules, which being well un∣derstood, shew thee the Key of Galen and Hippocrates ther Me∣thod of Physick: He that useth their Method, and is not heedful of these Rules, may soon Tinker-like, mend one hole and make two; cure one Disease, and cause another more desperate.
That then thou maiest understand what I intend, It is to discover in a general way of the manifest Ver∣tues of Medicines,
I say of the Manifest Vertues, and Qualities, Viz. Such as are obvious to the Sences, especially to the Tast and Smel: For it hath been the practice of most Physitians, (I say not of all) in these latter ages as well as ours, to say, when they cannot give, nor are minded to study a Reason, Why an Herb, Plant, &c. hath such an operation, or produceth such an effect in the Body of Man: It doth it by an hidden quality: For they not minding the whol Creation, as one United Body, not knowing what belongs to 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Influence, nor regarding that excellent Har∣mony the only wise God hath made in a composition of Contraries (in the knowledg of which consists the whol ground and foundation of Physick) no more than a Horse that goes along the street regards when the Clock strikes, are totally led by the Nose by that Monster TRADITION, who seldom begets any Children but they prove either Fools or Knaves, and this makes them so brutish that they can give a Rea∣son for the operation of no Medicine, but what is an Object to Sence; this their Worships call Manifest, and the other Hidden, because it is hidden from them, and alwaies will if they search no further after it than hitherto they have done. A Common-wealth is well holp up with such Physitians, that are not only so ignorant, but also so careles of knowing the founda∣tion upon which the whol Fabrick of Physick ought to be built, and not upon Tradition. They profess themselves Galenists: I would civilly encreat them but seriously to peruse, and labor to be well skilled in the Astronomy of Galen and Hippocrates.
I confess, and am glad to think of it, That all A∣ges have afforded some wise Physitians, well skilled in the Principles of what they profess, of which this our Age is not wanting, and they begin to encrease daily. As for others, my comfort is, That their whol Model will not stand long, because it is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 upon the Sand. And if I be not mistaken in my Cal∣culation, there are searching times coming, and with speed too, in which every building that is not built upon the Rock shall fall. The Lord will make a quick search upon the face of the Earth.
But to return to my purpose
It is the Manifest Qualities of Medicines that here I am to speak to, and you may be pleased to behold it in this order.
| Sect. 1. Of the Temperature | of Medicines. |
| Sect. 2. Of the Apropriation | |
| Sect. 3. Of the Properties |